To Cruise Or Not To
Cruise? - Discount Cruises?
By: Kathryn Whittaker
There is a saying: you haven't lived until you've cruised. Cruises
today have become the hottest way to spend holidays. Researchers have found
that one in four Americans dreams of cruising around the world. In
recent years, discount cruises
make cruising available to people of all ages and all levels of income.
What makes a great cruise vacation? First-rate accommodations, exotic
locations, sumptuous meals, world-class entertainment, and top-notch
facilities – all that for less money. All these features are included in a
cruise package even a discount one. You can relax, get pampered, and
discover new countries without the stress and jet lag most people experience
during vacations abroad.
Research shows that today when picking a way to spend a vacation, people
search for something that is drastically different from their everyday life.
They seek to completely change the way of living – at least for a short
period of time. Psychologists find that the more the difference, the better
would be the rest and relaxation. That’s why people go to African safari,
hike in a Guatemalan jungle, rent boats in Normandy, or stay on a small
island in the Caribbean’s.
A cruise ship
is extremely different from the way most
people live. You can stick to a scheduled routine or you can sunbathe all
day long. It does not matter if you buy full-price or a discount cruise.
Even a discount cruise offers all the same features of cruise vacation.
Cruise ships today offer the tourists the best of the traveling
industry: spas, gyms and restaurants with lots of diet choices, facilities
for kids with professional personnel, lots of sports activities from skating
to tennis, casinos and even theatres.
Royal
Caribbean Cruise Ships offer some of the best vacation cruises.
When planning a cruise
or buying a cruise package, even a
discount cruise, you should always make sure to check what is included and
what is not. A discount cruise package normally includes the cruise ship
transportation, meals and snacks, accommodation, access to the gym and other
sport facilities plus, nightly entertainment. However, gambling and spa
visits are not usually standard. Most often, the cruise package includes a
trip or tour to some of the exciting places on the cruise itinerary.
If not specifically discussed, you would have to pay for your flight to the
port from where the cruise leaves, as well as for medical services if these
are not covered by your medical plan. On board, you will have to pay for bar
beverages except for those that come with meals. Be prepared to pay extra
money for any visas that you need, and don’t forget about travel insurance.
You’ll find all the things included in the cruise package are listed in the
travel agency brochure. If you are not sure, ask the agent beforehand so you
know what to expect.
Have you read enough to start searching for the next available discount
cruise package for your family? Make sure you remember these most popular
cruise destinations: Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico – these
are great cruising destinations all year round!
Royal Carribean Cruiseline
Environment
In the late 1990s, Royal Caribbean was
twice fined for violating U.S. environmental cruising regulations. They
pleaded guilty on June 8, 1998, to charges of dumping fuel oil on the high
seas, using falsified records to cover it up, and even destroying a bypass
pipe on the Sovereign of the Seas to further cover it up.
It additionally pleaded guilty on July 26,
1999, to 21 felony charges in connection to dumping fuel oil in U.S.
territorial waters and the accompanying coverups. Royal Caribbean was forced
to pay a total of US$27 million (€25 million, 211 million NOK) in fines. |